


But It Calms Me Down

by string



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-28
Updated: 2013-08-28
Packaged: 2017-12-24 22:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/945431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/string/pseuds/string
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They realise soon that it’s a lot of hurry up and wait for Red John to start playing cat and mouse. They find themselves catching something-like-happiness where they can find it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But It Calms Me Down

**Author's Note:**

> Idek what this is, but it wants to see the light of day, so here it is.   
> References are listed in the endnotes.

‘Come o-on, Lisbon,’ he was wheedling unabashedly, and Lisbon was positive she’d be appropriately annoyed if she wasn’t so relieved to see him momentarily giddy. ‘Communist poker! It’ll be a whole new world-’

‘Yeah, well,’ her words were deliberately a little slow to give her time to sort the remembered words into the proper order, ‘a new fantastic point view won’t get my paperwork done.’ Lisbon pointed it out firmly. ‘Don’t be a sore winner, Jane,’ she stole a handful of his candy winnings and stood. ‘Tea?’ He gave her a petulant look. 

‘Please.’

She smirked and grabbed her cup before slipping out of her office, headed for the kitchenette. She nearly bumped bodily into Bertram’s secretary.

‘Sorry, Agent Lisbon!’ She was a small, sweet if slightly stiff young woman relatively new to the CBI. Jane had suggested she’d been hired for her combination of devoted work ethic and convenient inexperience and anxiety. Jess Wen ducked her head, blushing and tucking a loose braid behind her ear. ‘Director Bertram asked me to bring these up to you before he left,’ she gestured to the pile of files under her other arm and Lisbon tried not to groan. Bertram had been _inundating_ them with work - not too obviously and with conceivable excuses - but really? Three guesses why.

‘Thanks, Jess,’ she reached out to take the files.

‘Oh! Lisbon!’ Jess jumped at Jane’s voice, sudden and loud, though between the two of them she and Lisbon managed to stop the pile from sliding to the floor in disarray. When Lisbon looked back, Jane was leaning out of her office, an innocent look on his face.

‘Peter this is the _worst_ time you could have called,’ Lisbon threw it over her shoulder, light and exasperated, old and familiar reflex. Jane’s face lit up out of the corner of her eye and she grinned. That sort of glee twice in one night... Lisbon tried to remember where the reference was from, knowing she had picked it up from Tommy, but couldn’t... quite... _Star Trek_. The laugh bubbled up, full and delighted by the idea of Jane watching Trekkies, for all it was probably some sleepless late-night whim.

She turned back to apologise to Jess, only to find her smiling too.

‘Sorry, I-’ Lisbon waved her free hand apologetically.

Jess shook her head, still smiling. ‘China doll in the bullpen,’ it was earnest and warm, and while Lisbon didn’t get the reference she recognised a compliment when she heard one.

‘Thanks, and,’ she made a face and gestured to the files, ‘thanks for bringing these up.’

‘No problem, I-’ Jess cut herself off, frowning hard at the pile and then swallowing. When she spoke it was soft and heavy. ‘Courage.’

Jane cleared his throat a little uncomfortably. ‘We’ll make it - I swear.’

Lisbon whipped her head around, but Jane was apparently entranced by his shoes. Jess, for all her concern, had a soft considering smile and hands that were only just returning to her sides.

‘Goodnight Mr Jane, Agent Lisbon.’

‘Goodnight,’ was chorused back.

‘Good luck,’ was whisper-soft as Jane watched her walk out of hearing range.

‘So,’ Lisbon stepped back into the hallway from her office. Jane sighed.

‘Yeah.’

‘Probably not Bertram?’ Their voices were soft, tired. Jane shook his head.

‘Probably not, too sloppy. Definitely he’s definitely a Friend though.’

Lisbon began to fill the kettle and Jane slumped against the counter beside her, staring blankly at the wall.

‘She shouldn’t have to be caught up in this,’ he sighed. ‘And there’s not a damn thing I can do about it, just sit back and wait, and see what happens.’ 

‘It’s always tea-time,’ Lisbon offered gently.

Jane quirked half a smile and reached for the milk without moving away from her. ‘It’s a bad, bad ritual,’ his voice was soft, and while he wasn’t quite singing he carried the cadence enough that she could scrabble for the next line. She smiled softly.

‘But it calms me down.’

**Author's Note:**

> In order of appearance:  
> A Whole New World - Aladdin   
> Trekkies  
> China Doll in the Bullpen - Dessa  
> Never Been Kissed - Glee  
> In the Pale Moonlight - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  
> Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland  
> Bad Ritual - Timber Timbre
> 
> And I, um, may have taken undue advantage of the idea of Jane frowning at televisions when he can’t sleep. Just maybe.


End file.
